Discover Quebec

Founded in 1608 by French explorer and geographer Samuel de Champlain, on the site of a former Iroquoian village along the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Quebec City is one of North America’s oldest and most beautiful cities. It was the colonial capital of both the French and British Empires in North America, and since 1867 has been the capital of the province of Quebec.

Today, Quebec City is a modern metropolis of approximately 750,000 mainly French-speaking residents. Its active economic pole is strengthened by the city’s status as a major tourist destination with an international airport and cruise ship terminal. With the Historic District of Old Québec designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, Quebec City presents a vibrant cultural and intellectual life.

We encourage you to discover more about our city here and through the Quebec City Tourism website (free mobile applications available here). We also invite you to explore the vast province of Quebec through the government’s official website.

For those interested in discovering more about Canada, Destination Canada's official tourism website is a good place to start.